1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to motor vehicles, and more particularly to driving devices which convert a vehicle from wheel type to portable track drive.
2. Background of the Invention
Today there is a great demand for motor vehicles which are able to traverse uneven, boggy, sandy or other off-the-road surfaces. Hunters, fishermen and other sportsmen use such vehicles to advance their sport. Other persons use vehicles such as snowmobiles and jeeps for recreational purposes, as well as transportation when roads are inaccessable to the standard road car. These specialized vehicles are expensive and limited in use to their specialized purposes.
Transforming the standard road car, small truck, van or wagon to special use for off-road purposes has not gained wide usage. The apparatus necessary for such conversion is often cumbersome, expensive and permanent. An apparatus which could transform a road vehicle to a track drive vehicle would allow a consumer to purchase only one vehicle. A truly portable apparatus would allow a user to install and remove the tracks quickly and easily. Such a vehicle would be useful in emergency situations such as snow storms, flooded roads and boggy fields, etc., as well as for recreational purposes.
Presently, snowmobiles and jeep-like vehicles serve those recreational needs. However, there is a need for vehicles with better climbing stability, capable, for instance, of "crawling over logs".
There is a need for a safe vehicle for snow, one which will, because it has greater road surface area, brake more smoothly. There is a need for an apparatus which will not require oversize tires, thus saving expenses for the user.
There is also a need for a converter which will be useful, not only for the sportsman, but also in the military and in industries such as logging and farming.
There is, therefore, a great need for a truly portable track drive converter which is inexpensive, easy to operate, and which will be capable of use with a great variety of standard vehicles without requiring a great deal of equipment.